LANGE MANUFACTURE
THE RICHARD LANGE‘ POUR LE MÉRITE’
This recently debuted limited edition adds a white gold model with a sumptuous black dial to a collection first seen in 2009. Previously only available in platinum or red gold, this watch features a simple dial that displays only hours, minutes, and seconds. Turn the watch over, however, and the wearer sees a highly decorated movement that incorporates a fusée-andchain system to improve chronometry. Inspired by historic pocket watches and integrated into a wristwatch by A. Lange & Söhne in 1994 for the first time, the mechanism assures that a constant torque stabilizes the amplitude of the balance as long as the watch is running. All A. Lange & Söhne Pour le Mérite ' editions utilize this device.
Wrapped around the mainspring barrel, the chain delivers the power of the mainspring to the wheel train via the cone-shaped fusée. This keeps the torque constant. In principle, the mecha- nism works like the gearing of a bicycle except that the gear ratios are infinitely variable rather than fixed.
The 636-part chain is deceptively strong. It seems thin, even hair-like, but it can actually support a weight of more than 4.4 pounds. The fusée-and-chain transmission causes the fusée to rotate in one direction during the winding process and in the opposite direction when the watch is running. A. Lange & Söhne watchmakers have thus devised an elaborate planetary gear system inside the fusée to maintain the flow of power from the fusée to the movement while winding occurs.
Even the watch’ s black dial is a complicated construction, explains A. Lange & Sohne’ s director of product development Anthony De Haas.
“ The first editions in platinum and pink gold we made with enamel dials, which are very hard to produce,” he says.“ Those
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WRISTWATCH | 2017